Alice's Wonderland
by LoverBoyWonder
Summary: My take on the classic story. AU where Alice is a new girl at school, and she meets some interesting people who seem to have it in for her. The story is better than my summary. Original story and characters belong to Lewis Carrol. Please R&R and enjoy!


**Hello, and welcome to Alice's Wonderland! This is my take on the classic story, written on a whim; it's a bit long, but so be it. The general rule here is that if you recognize a character, I don't own them. Original story and character credits go to Mr. Lewis Carrol. Rated K+ for mentions of drugs and drug use. Please R&R, and enjoy!**

**~LoverBoyWonder**

* * *

New Year's Eve

Alice was nervous. She had reason to be, since it was her first day at a new school. She could hear people whispering in the hallway as she passed, "New girl. New girl." She gave little anxious glances to the people she passed, and got soft snickers in return. "Hey, you," a big kid called from behind the stairs. "C'mere." Alice looked around for a moment, wondering who he could be talking to, and hesitantly walked over to the tall boy. "That's right, new girl. You." He was dressed in all black, and his face was bathed in the shadows at the back of the staircase. He had pure white hair. The fluorescent lights reflected off the large gold watch on the boy's wrist, causing glimmers of light to dance on the smooth surface of the watch face and trick Alice's mind into thinking that the hands were spinning crazily. "It's New Year's Eve," he said. "There's a gathering tonight. If you want in at this school, you better show." The bell rang, and Alice jumped. "See you later, new girl," the boy whispered as he walked past her and disappeared into the wave of kids that filled the hall, appearing down the hall in a classroom door, talking and gesturing to a boy who was wearing a purple striped shirt and grinning maniacally.

Later that night, Alice put on a pretty blue dress and walked downstairs, but stopped before closing her front door. She listened hard and could barely hear her parents snoring upstairs, but she finally stopped lingering and shut the door. She walked down the street without looking back, and soon enough she arrived at the address the boy had slipped into her hand right before he walked away. Alice looked up at the huge house that loomed, and she was more than a little intimidated. It was by far the largest house on the street. Alice gathered her courage and raised her fist to knock on the door. It swung open of its own accord before she could knock, and Alice stepped inside, fear blossoming inside her. She could hear voices in a room off the main hallway, and entered. "We've been waiting for you," said the boy she had met earlier. The room was empty, save for a few other kids. "At our school, if you want to fit in, you have to be…initiated." Alice gulped. The boy held out a bag with some white powder in it. The bag had a label on it: "EAT ME," it proclaimed in thick black letters. "Try some," he said. "Once you try it, you'll be part of our school…forever." Alice took one look at the bag, shook her head, slowly backed out of the room and ran all the way home. "Don't worry," the boy said to the others in the room. "Next time, she'll say yes," he promised. "It's an ultimatum she will never be able to refuse." At home, Alice lay awake in bed for hours, and when sleep finally came, a nightmare grabbed her in its clutches.

"_You're late, Alice! You're late, oh, you're late, for a very important date!" A small white rabbit carrying a large gold pocket watch ran past a bemused Alice towards a castle on the horizon. Alice, still confused, ran after the rabbit. She came up to the castle's large wooden doors and heard a low muttering from inside. "She's late, where could she be? Oh, that dratted Alice is late…" Alice entered a room not unlike the one where the gathering was held and saw the white rabbit looking at his watch and mumbling. A strange purple cat seemed to be grinning at Alice from his seat upon a table. "There you are, Alice, we've been waiting for you, oh, we've been waiting! Welcome to Wonderland, Alice, welcome! Here, the only dreams that become reality are nightmares! And we're here to help you face your fears. On special days this year, different Wonderland citizens will visit you in your dreams, but none of us, oh, none of us are as kind as we seem!" With that, the rabbit grew larger and larger, finally towering over Alice. He held out the plastic bag that the boy had shown her and said, "Why won't you listen to the nice children at school? They just want to help you fit in! Oh, dear me, Alice, what are we going to do with you?" And then Alice realized that it was not that the rabbit had grown, but she herself had shrunk to the size of a thimble. The rabbit's face swam, and finally he disappeared altogether, leaving behind an undulating shadow that transformed into the boy from school! He held out the bag in the air above the tiny Alice. She tried to run, but found her feet stuck to the floor. The boy dropped the bag on top of her, laughing, and the cat continued the grotesque contortion of its face. _

Alice woke up panting as the clock struck twelve.

* * *

Valentine's Day

Alice was alone. She looked around at the frail paper hearts taped to walls and the frail beating hearts students wore on their sleeves. Couples laughed and kissed, and even those not in a relationship were happily exchanging small gifts with their best friends. Alice sat in the back of the crowded cafeteria at an empty table, for no one wanted to sit with her. She hadn't made any friends at school; in fact, many students walked past her, or more frequently, into her, without even acknowledging her presence. She sighed and began to open her boring, brown-bagged lunch as a girl with plastic beauty and fame of glass sat down across from her. Alice knew she was the most popular girl at school and had boys competing for her heart. "Hey, Alice," the girl said. "Aren't you tired of being alone? Join our group, Alice, go on." Alice started, and took a better look at the girl. She had been in the room with that boy on New Year's Eve, she was sure of it. Alice didn't know what to do. The girl looked at her for a moment, then pulled the plastic bag out of her pocket and held it out under the table. "Come on, Alice, don't you get it? People will like you once you do it. You'll have friends. You won't be ignored." Alice sat quietly for a minute, thinking the offer over. Finally, she shook her head. No. The girl stood up. "Fine, Alice. Have it your way. But I'll see to it that you never gain popularity, never make friends, and certainly never fall in love at this school!" With that, timid Alice gathered her lunch together and retreated to the library. The girl's gaze followed Alice out of the room and finally dropped to the screen of the cell phone vibrating in her pocket. She started typing as two identical boys walked up and stood, a bit awkwardly, at her sides. _Alice said no…keep trying,_ the girl texted. _OK,_ came the reply. The twins gazed at each other, and the girl looked up and locked eyes with the boy she was texting, a boy wearing a violet shirt and a huge smile.

That night, Alice thought in bed for a long time, and finally fell against her pillows. She was dreaming before she closed her eyes.

"_Alice! Where is Alice?" A regal woman, dressed all in red, stood pacing before a throne. Alice crept through the diamond-shaped doorway and stood in the middle of the room that resembled her cafeteria, though mostly red and without the chairs and tables. "Alice! You have the nerve to be late to a meeting with the Queen? I should have you beheaded! Nobody arrives late for an audience with the Queen of Hearts!" Alice stumbled into a curtsy and mumbled a stuttering apology. "Look at you," the Queen said. "Disgusting! Come on, shoulders back! Chin up! No, no, don't look me in the eyes! It's bad for my skin!" Alice uttered another broken apology, and the Queen looked at her. "Well, I suppose you were chosen for a reason, although I can't for the life of me see what it could possibly be. Now, down to business: You know we're here for you, Alice dear, but we can't dream of helping you if you won't take the teeniest little steps toward helping yourself! You see, in Wonderland, you can't get something without first giving something in return. No, no, your expectations are much too high! And we punish those who trade something for nothing. Oh, Alice, can't you see it? Yes, if you want our help then you must give us something first…a small favor for your Queen, hmmm?" On that note, the Queen held out the plastic bag. "See, Alice dear, it's only a small sacrifice to make for your Queen and country." Alice answered with a defiant stare that came more easily to her in the dream than it did in real life. "No? No? You dare refuse your Queen? Then off with your head! Guards! Guards! You should have listened to me Alice…the Queen of Hearts is a powerful ally, but you'll find me to be a most deadly enemy! Off with your head!" A mysterious purple cat smiled lazily at Alice from the seat of the Queen's throne. Alice saw the Queen's guards, two identically blond men, closing in on her and the Queen herself disappointedly shaking her head behind them as her face flashed between that of the Queen and the face of the girl from lunch. _

Alice woke screaming.

* * *

Easter

Alice, like all students at the school, had a week of vacation in order to celebrate Easter. Alice was at home reading when the doorbell rang. Intrigued, she got up to answer it. "Hi, Alice," said the boy on her front step. It was a boy Alice saw whenever she went into the computer lab, which was not often, but apparently enough to be able to recognize the small, unpopular boy. She wondered why he was at her house when a figure appeared from around the side of her lawn. It was a slightly more popular boy from her school who hailed from England. He held out a bouquet of flowers to Alice. "I heard them calling, and couldn't bear to let these beautiful blossoms die in such a barren garden," he said. He had a reputation for being a bit strange. "Anyway," he continued smoothly, "My associate and I have arrived at your home in order to bestow upon you a great honor." "Here, Alice," the other, unpopular boy said, and pulled the plastic bag out of the pocket on the front of his baggy sweatshirt. "We knew you would be alone today, so we decided we would come…cheer you up," the boy's eyes darted around nervously as he spoke. Alice looked at the two boys for a moment, the plastic bag held between them. Finally, Alice dropped her gaze and closed the door. "Ah, well," the taller and more handsome boy said. "Shall we?" And the two boys linked arms and walked away. They stopped at another house, and a grinning boy in a purple shirt answered the door and let them in. Alice watched them walk from her window, and closed the curtains as they disappeared from view. She stood there staring at the closed window until she grew tired and then she turned of the lights and fell asleep.

_"Ah, Alice, how simply marvelous to see you," said the voice coming from the large chair at the head of the table. "Would you perhaps like a cup of tea? Or two? Or six?" "Maybe she would like a crumpet," another voice suggested from the adjacent chair. "What a splendid idea!" The first voice declared. "Alice, you simply must have some tea and crumpets!" The chair spun around, and Alice held back a shriek. For a split second, the man's face had looked like that of the popular boy from school. "Oh, my dear, what seems to be the problem? Did you mistake me for someone else, perhaps?" Alice nodded. "Well, Alice, that would be impossible, because, you see, I am the Mad Hatter. And there is no one quite like me in all the world!" Alice crept towards the table. "Yes, yes, do sit down, how terribly impolite of me not to draw up a chair…" And with that the Mad Hatter took off his oversized hat and pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil. He began to draw a chair, and a chair materialized next to the spot where Alice was standing. She took a seat, and the other chair turned around. It was all Alice could do to hold back another scream, for it was the spitting image of the nervous, less popular boy. After a second, the image faded and Alice wondered how she could have mistaken the man in the chair for the boy from school, for the man sitting at the table seemed to have pure white hair and large rabbit ears. "Dear Alice, I am the mad March Hare. Do have some tea, go on now." The March Hare picked up one of the many mugs that sat, empty, on the long table and began to fill it with tea from an oversized purple kettle. "Now, Alice," the Mad Hatter began. "I have heard quite a lot about you! I have heard you have trouble…listening to the suggestions of others, hmmm, yes, let's put it that way…but anyhow, Alice, please know that the March Hare and I, well, we're always here for you, dear. Remember, madness is always…just around the corner, yes, just! Let's have those crumpets now, shall we?" "Ah, I just remembered," the March Hare remarked. "The Queen has given us a special gift, for our special Alice!" The March Hare lifted the silver dome covering a platter of sweets, and on top of the treats sat the plastic bag. Alice jumped up from the table, pushing the chair away. "Dear Alice, do you tire of our company so soon?" The Hatter remarked. "You haven't finished your tea! Sit back down!" The chair knocked into the backs of Alice's legs, forcing her to sit, and pulled her up to the table. Ropes appeared as the Mad Hatter clicked his fingers, and the March Hare climbed over the table and opened the bag. A strange cat Alice could swear she had seen before watched the proceedings, stretching languorously in a chair and wearing a satisfied grin. Alice struggled as the Hare lifted the bag to her face, struggling silently as he laughed and shook with utter madness. _

She awoke to find herself covered in a cold sweat.

* * *

New Year's Eve

A new school year was beginning, but Alice found herself alone once again. She was being pushed along by the throng of students in the hall, and Alice felt hopeful. This year, she would have lots of friends. She could tell it was going to be a good year. "Pssst! Alice!" came the whispered call from under the stairs. Alice recalled the last time she had been summoned there, and trudged over to the shadowy alcove once again with dread heavy in her heart. Sure enough, it was the mysterious boy who dressed in black behind the staircase once again. Alice gave him a questioning glance, and he spread his hands in a gesture that said _why didn't you listen?_ "This year, Alice, if you want some friends…be at the meeting later. Or your life will be even more miserable than it was last year." Alice's blue eyes fixed the boy with a sad stare. She nodded glumly and trudged off to class. A boy in a lavender shirt was sitting on top of the steps, smiling as he watched Alice walk away.

That night, she put on her old blue dress and sighed before sneaking out once again. She walked slowly down the street, never looking up from the asphalt that crunched beneath her feet until she arrived at the huge house. She bravely swung open the large doors and entered the room where all the students stood in a circle. There was a clearing in the middle, and the students pushed and prodded Alice until finally she stood alone in the center. The shadow boy held out the bag towards her with its sign proclaiming "EAT ME." So Alice, with her dull blue-eyed stare that spoke volumes of being chased and becoming tired of hiding, took the bag from the boy's outstretched hand and raised it to her lips. The soft powder poured down her throat until there was no more left to take. Alice's eyes widened, and she collapsed on the floor.

_"Alice is late, oh, she's late again, and on this most important day!" "Do be quiet, rabbit, for your antics tire me. And if you test my patience I will surely have you beheaded." "Dear Alice is coming! I do believe she is on her way!" "Yes, we brought the tea, in order to properly celebrate her arrival!" "Alice, Alice, Alice, Alice, Alice!" Alice felt like her head would burst from the cacophony of voices screaming her name, and yet she could see nothing. "Alice! Alice! Alice fell down the rabbit hole!" Finally, the voices ceased and the face of the mysterious grinning cat swam into focus in front of her face, close enough to touch. The cat's lips moved, and it spoke to Alice, with the grin never once leaving its face: a softly whispered "Welcome to Wonderland." _


End file.
